Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common category of sleep-disordered breathing. In obstructive sleep apnea, the muscle tone of the body ordinarily relaxes during sleep. At the level of the throat, the human airway is composed of collapsible walls of soft tissue which can obstruct breathing during sleep. In some cases, obstructive sleep apnea requires treatment to prevent low blood oxygen, sleep deprivation, and other complications.
Some techniques to address sleep apnea involve sleeping at a 30-degree or higher elevation of the upper body, as if sleeping in a recliner. Doing so helps prevent the airway from being blocked or obstructed. Furthermore, lateral positions (sleeping on a side), as opposed to supine positions (sleeping on the back), are also recommended as a treatment for sleep apnea. Other treatments include the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or oral appliances to keep the airway open during sleep.
Accordingly, there is a need for a sleep apnea detection apparatus that may alert the user when the user's head is positioned in the sleep apnea inducing position.